Farmers can apply to the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) for a grant to improve the water efficiency of their farm irrigation and reservoir system. The system must be used by the applicant for on-farm activity.

Applicants can also apply if they represent:

a water sharing consortium or

a water abstractor group

Grants are intended to make irrigation more efficient – to be eligible, applicants must already be irrigating.

Costs that are not eligible for funding

Priorities for these grants

projects that help prevent flash floods or improve flood mitigation measures or

natural filtration systems with no energy demand

Eligibility requirements

To be eligible, the project must meet these 4 conditions:

the project must lead to annual water savings of at least 5%

water savings gained by the investment must be split between the applicant’s business and the environment

if the project leads to an increase in irrigated area, applicants must get an environmental analysis and send this in with their application

the water for the irrigation system must be taken from specific sources

Read more about these below.

The project must lead to annual water savings of at least 5%

A saving is defined as a reduction in the amount of water flowing through the equipment affected by the investment, without having a negative impact on the crops to which the water is finally being provided. Applicants should be able to achieve current levels of production with less water.

The savings identified will form part of any funding offer. Applicant will be expected to make the savings and report on them.

How to calculate the water saving

To calculate the water saving, applicants must tell us what their baseline current water usage is, then show the annual reduction in water usage (m3) due to the proposed investment.

Information about baseline water usage can be from water metering or from a water bill.

First, the applicant should tell us what the baseline current water usage, by giving us the following information. Tell us the holding’s total water usage (m3) as an annual average calculated over 5 years. Give the total figure and also give a breakdown showing how much water (m3) is used for:

irrigation

water sales to third parties, and

other activities requiring water use by the holding

If the holding has multiple irrigation systems, applicants must also give the water usage (m3) for the specific irrigation system on which improvements are proposed – the annual average (m3) calculated over 5 years.

Finally, applicants should also give the current permitted annual use (m3), ie that permitted through abstraction licences.

Applicants must then tell us which of these figures is the baseline current water usage. If the holding has one irrigation system, this is either the holding’s total water usage or the current permitted annual use – use whichever figure is lower.

If the holding has multiple irrigation systems, this is the either the water usage for the specific irrigation system(s) on which improvements are proposed or the current permitted use – use whichever figure is lower.

Water savings gained by the investment must be split between the applicant’s business and the environment

The proposed project must allow any water savings to be split between the applicant’s business and the environment.

This means that the applicant’s projected annual usage should not exceed the baseline figure, minus 50% of the proposed water saving.

For example, if the baseline usage is 10,000 and a saving of 1,000 (10%) is proposed, the projected water usage should not exceed 9,500. This would provide the business with an extra 500 units to use while benefitting the environment by reducing needs by 500.

To show this, give the projected water usage (m3) across the holding once the proposed system is installed. (If the holding has multiple irrigation systems, the application should show the projected water usage (m3) for the irrigation system on which improvements are proposed, once those are installed).

Identify the current and proposed irrigation area

Tell us the current and proposed irrigation area by giving:

the area (hectares) irrigated on the holding – this is the total irrigated area over the previous year

the area (hectares) to be irrigated on the holding once the investment is installed

If the irrigated area will increase, the applicant must confirm that an environmental analysis has been completed in relation to the proposed investment(s). Any analysis does not remove the applicant’s responsibilities for getting other permits or consents, such as those under Environmental Impact Assessment regulations.

This analysis must find that there will be no significant negative environmental impact from the investment. It must also consider the impact of the project on Water Framework Directive environmental objectives. A copy of this analysis must be provided with the grant application.

Applicants can call RPA for more information about what’s required from the environmental analysis:

The water for the irrigation system must come from specific sources

The water for the irrigation system must only be taken from one or more of the following:

boreholes

surface water abstraction points

rainwater

recycled or harvested water

grey water

If the applicant has the necessary permission from the local water company or authority and the system follows the British Standard Code of Practice BS 8525-1: 2010.

If filling reservoirs using surface water abstraction, the applicant must make sure that they use peak-flow abstraction – this means taking the water at times when it’s plentiful, for example in winter.

a plan of the holding identifying the holdings existing and proposed irrigation systems

proof of planning permission where required

supporting calculations demonstrating how the annual reduction in water usage enabled by the proposed investment has been calculated, and

for projects that will increase the irrigated area, an environmental analysis.

Evidence to show an applicant already has one of the required grant items

If an applicant already has one of the required grant item(s) in place, they should send evidence, including a photograph, to show that the item(s) is already in place and is compatible with the proposed new items. Grants will not cover any items a business already owns.